Time and date transmitter



Sept 28, 1954 w. s. w. EDGAR, JR

TIME AND DATE TRANSMITTER 6 Sheets-SheefI l F'iled May 19, 1949 Sum.w22.. 4

W. s. w. EDGAR, JR 2,690,474

TIME AND DATE TRANSMITTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. J R. R 1M m m. .M m. M D VE mo. o. n :utaw v o :um W. w. e :2.5m mm n S. vw L .E Im... O m h B muum m xzm v Kimm. 4 n uuw a z m m w v:

E o ...zzmJ o mm 9.6m o o o mm m N m .U om wm .Kimm o@ o v $2.5 S. m@ m@um Sept. 28, 1954 Filed May 19, 1949 ATT RNEY HRS. UNIT D\G|T Sept- 28,1954 w. s. w. EDGAR, .1R

TIME AND DATE TRANSMITTER F'led May 19, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 SWITCH lFIG. 4

W. S.W. EDGAR JR.

AT RNEY Sept. 28, 1954 W. s, W, EDGAR, JR 2,690,474

TIME AND DATE: TRANSMITTER Filed May 19, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

W. S.W. EDGAR JR.

www,

ATTORNEY FIG. 5

SePt- 28, 1954 w. s. w. EDGAR, .IR 2,690,474

TIME AND DATE TRANSMITTER FIG. 6

MULTIPLE I TIME AND DATE INVENTOR. W.S.W. EDGAR JR.

MWLMM A ToRNEY Sept 28, 1954 W. s. w. EDGAR, JR 2,690,474

TIME AND DATE TRANSMITTER Filed May 19, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 TRANS DISTREADING AND LOCKING RELAYS Patentecl Sept. 28, 1954 UNITED STATES TIMEAND DATE TRANSMITTER William Stanley Westerman Edgar, Jr., New York, N.Y., assigner to The Western Union Telegraph Company, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application May 19, 1949, Serial No. 94,214

(Cl. 17g-17.5)

4 Claims.

This invention relates to telegraph transmitters and more particularly-to a transmitter for automatically sending to a line circuit or -to aplurality of line circuits predetermined and variable information in theyform of code telegraph signals.

The invention will be described with reference to the automatic storageand transmission of a sequence of code signals representing the time ofday in hours and minutes and the date in days, months and years,although it is to be understood that it is not limited to suchinformation.

It has been the established practice in manual transmission of telegraphmessages over certain patrons tie line circuits to include in thetransmission the time of day in yhours and minutes so that the receivedmessage indicates on its face the time of reception in the patronsoffice. In modern reperforator switching systems, however, the incomingmessages at a switching center are received on perforated tape or othersignal storage means and retransmitted therefrom to the outgoing circuiteither by a manual or an automatic switching operation. In such cases itis impractical for an operator to manually transmit the time and dateinformation at the end of each message.

An object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide means forautomatically transitting time and date information following thetransmission of each message over predetermined outgoing circuits.

Another object is to provide means for automatically setting up variableinformation on storage means, as periodic changes occur therein.

Still another object is to provide means controlled by the message'being transmitted over a line for effecting transmission of informationover said line, supplemental to the message.

Another object is to provide Imeans whereby variable information may bestored and .automatically transmitted simultaneously over a 'pluralityof line circuits.

Another object is to provide a plurality of code telegraph signalstorage devices in which variable information may be stored an'd fromwhich such information may 'be transmitted in sequential relation.

Still another object is to `provide means for storing signalsrepresentative of current time and for transmitting such signals overone or more line circuits.

A further object is to provide such a means in which the storageoperations and the transmitting operations will be effected in differenttime intervals.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In accordance with the present invention I provide a plurality ofsettable devices upon which the variable information -to beautomatically transmitted is stored in the form of telegraph codesignals. In the embodiment shown this information comprises the time ofday in hours and minutes, the day of the month, the month and year,together with certain arbitrary and case shift signals. Typical time anddate mes sages would appear in the following printed form:

(1250 PM AUG 22 48) AM AUG 2 43):

The iirst of these messages in signal form would include the following24 signal combinations: (l) figures shift, (2) parentheses, (3, 4, 5, 6)numerals 1250, (7) Word space, (8) letter shift, (9, 10) letters PM,(11) word space, (12, 13, 14) letters AUG, (15) word space, (16) figuresshift, (17, 18) numerals 22, (19) word space, (20, 21) numerals 48, (22)parenthesis, (23) letters shift, and (24) equals sign. Of these signals,Nos. 1, 2, '7, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, 22, 23 and '24 are invariable andare permanently set upon the storage medium. The intervening charactersignals are variable and modied as required by the changing time anddate. The time of the day signals are changed each minute by minutepulses from any suitable source, as from time signals supplied in thestandard Western Union Telegraph Company time system or from contacts onan electrically -driven clock. These same signals serve to change themeridian setting to indicate AM or PM. At the end of each month,irrespective of the number of days, these time signals act through 'thestorage devices to operate an alarm or indicator to indicate to anattendant the necessity of changing the mont abbreviation storage, whichis eiec'te'd by means of a vmanual switch. The year is also set manuallyat the end of each year.

In addition to the time and date storage mechanism the inventionincludes a collator for assembling the data currently set up on thevarious time and date storage devices and an associated distributor foroperating the icollator and applying the signals to the linetransmitting apparatus.

The control of the distributor is accomplished by means responsive to acall for the time and date transmission initiated by the usual doubleperiod end-of-message signal from the tape transmitter through the cordcircuit arrangement. If, at the time a call is placed for time and datetransmission over any circuit, transmission is `proceeding over anothercircuit or circuits, or if the time and date storage mechanism is in thecourse of operation in response to a minute impulse, the transmissionover the calling circuit will be delayed until either or both operaareshown, each havingsix levels.

tions have been completed. On the other hand, should a time pulse ybereceived duringa transmitting operation, the setting up of the new timeon the time storage mechanism will be delayed until the transmission iscompleted.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the arrangement of; the various sheets of drawings to forma composite circuit diagram of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the month;- year, meridian and hours tensdigit storage mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the day unit digit 15 and tens digitstorage switches and the transmitting collator or switch;

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the hours unit digit, the minute tensdigit and the minute units digit storage switches; '20

Fig. 5 is a schematic viewof time pulsereceiving relays and thetransmitting distributor-.and associated relay circuits;

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the time and date call controlledmechanism; and

Fig. 7 is a schematic view ofthe tape transmitter cord circuit.

Referring first to Figs. 3 and 4, six 25 point rotary switches indicatedas switch I to switch 6 Switch I pro-'f 30 vides for the storage of thehours unit digits; switch 2, the minute tens digits; switch 3, theminute units digits; switch 4, the days tens digits; and switch 5, thedays units digits. Switch6 comprises the collator to which the currentset`y -tings of switches I to 5 are applied, together with the remainingcharacters of the timeanddate message. Of these additional charactersthe meridian signals, that is, the A and P characters of AM and PM, areset upon the collator switch-40 by a relay I (see Fig. 2); the hourstens digits 'by a relay 8, the month abbreviation signals by a manualmulti-position switch 9, and the year signals by the strappings on ayear block I5. For convenience it will be assumed that the current-145time message set upon the various storage devices is as follows:

(1200 AM JAN 1 47).:

In this case the characters and symbols set1 upon the y'irst ive (righthand) studsof the collator switch Gand their origin will be as follows:

Position signal origin 55 Blank 1st row of switch 6. Figs. shift 2nd rowof switch Parenthcsis-( 3rd row of Switch 6.

Make contact of relay 8. lst row of switch 1. 1st row of switch 2.

lst row of switch 3.

Hours tens digit- 1 Hours units digit-9. Min. tens digit-0 Miu. unitsdigit-0 Word space 8th row of switch 6. Letters shift.. 9th row ofswitch 6. Meridian-A Make contact of relay 7.

MeridianelvL 11th row of switch Word space 12th row of switch 6.

Abbrev. `TAN lst row of switch 9. '65

Word space 16th row of switch 6. Figs. s 1t 17th row of switch 6.

kReferring now to Fig. 4, the minute units digit storage switch 3 isshown with the studs thereof strapped as indicated in the drawing. Therst -row of studs.

Blank lst row of switch 4.

Day-1 lst row of switch 5.

Word spa 20th row of switch 6.

Year-47 Year Block l0.

larenthesis-) 23rd row of switch 6. 70 Letters shift 24th row of switch6. Equals sign-= 25th row of switch 6.

four (right hand) levels are coded to represent vinpermutationcodezthedigits Oto 9 in two series, as indicated at `the right of the switch.

Since this consumes but 20 of the 25 points, the

5 remaining live points in the fth level are :strapped in` two series II and IIa by a conductor vtion. Studs of. the sixth level and No. 9digit position are connected to a conductor I3 terminating in onewinding of a control relay K2 associated with the minutes ten digitstorage switch, the purpose of which will appear.

A series of six wipers I4 are advanced across theswitchcontacts-.by asteppingmagnet I5 as lis well known in the art. Interrupter contacts I6are arranged to be opened upon each operation of the stepping magnet I5.The operation ofthe stepping magnet I5 is controlled by two relaysD andE (Fig. 5), each of which has an operating anda locking winding. Theoperating winding of relayD.is'connected to agsource of :minute -pulsesI'I so as to, loe-operated once each-minute.

Four control relaysF, G, H, and J are asso- `gciated withthe time anddate transmitting-'distributor I8 `of Fig. 5 and thev collatorordistributing switch I9 of Fig. 3 in such manner as to be controlled,in; part, thereby. The operation -of these relays will-be Adescribed indetail hereinafter, but for themoment itis sufficient to state lthat-relay H is in unoperated condition whenever transmission of a time anddate'message is in'progress and remains operated only when no suchtransmission is occurring.

ductors I'I to the time and date storage mechalnism so that the timesetting will be changed only, during idle transmission periods.

Y Referring again to relay D, and assuming it has just operatedinresponse to a timeimpulseand that relay H is operated (i. e., no timemessage is being transmitted), relay D then completes a circuit forrelay E from battery 2I, left-winding f of relay E, left-armature andmake contact 22 of relay D, conductor 23, outer armature and makecontact 24 of relay H, and outer armature 25 rand break contact of relayJ (also unoperated inthe idle conditionof the time and date transmitter).to ground. Relay E locks up from batteryv26, through armature 2'I andmake contact of relay E, its operating winding, and thence overconductors 28, 29 and interruptervcontacts I6 of storage switch 3 toground.

If it .be assumed that the time and date set up on the switches I to6,relays 1 and 8, switch 9 and year block I3 is in accordance with theexample heretofore given, namely, (1200 AM JAN 1 47)..==, then thewipers I4 of the minute units digit switch 3 will be on the zero digitor top When the minute impulse is received to actuate relay E', as justdescribed, this relay completes a ycircuit from ground on its armature3I, make contact and conductor-32, to the stepping magnet I5 of switch 3and thence to battery. Magnet I5 operates-and in :so doing opens theinterrupter contacts I 6, thus unlocking relay E which releases,breaking the circuit to magnet I5. The wipers I4 advance on the backstroke of the magnet, onto the number 1 digit studs of the switch, whichare coded to set up on the collator switch B the last digit of the new 5time 1201.

-If relay H had not been operated, at the inmaximum 1l-delay; ingthe'stepping of .the;:time

switch:,3 in-responsetora minutecfpulseisoffythis v order cfmagnitude.

L As each minute. :pulseris receivedpfswitchr I:is

;;,advaneeduntil itreacheszits rstudigit'i) ,posifinstant` asrelay 5Ereleases. a i circuit,- is completed from ground ait-armature 5.3 Ikofi; relay itsi'20 back: contact, conductor z 33,:`Asixth'levelrwiperil .vof -switch:,3, sixth l:level :contact134,;fconductor` l3,1winding'ofrelayK2 of theztensminute digit Switch,2, )sixthileyely wiperiirofrthis switch and sixth level'4 stud1z36of;,thefffirst-fzerotdigit po- 25 ,'sition: of switch 12 -..(upon awhichlthe wiper `35 stands attimeg 1209) toibattery. fRelayfKZ operlpates iand prepares i a circuit: for tithe :,:operating magnet 31,101? switch-32,1throughfits-3operated conlUpon the next operationofrrelawEzin-response :toga minute, pulse this; relay locksiupfwover"conductors 28 and, 29;; andiinterrupter contact: 162.05435 switchgftozrground and.: alsopineparaliel Ythereto over conductor 4I, outer,-contactaZcOf; relay 1K2 `,andinterrupt.er contactznroi switch-,2, toground. ,A At the, same time jthefioperating circuit fon-magy t nets- I5;- and 3'I-gof,` switches-3- and 'rk-respectively, i540 are completed;at armatures ,f3 l i and: -ofgrelayrE ,to advancethe-wipers;,oithegswitches tothe-'next :lowerv row. In-.the casewffvswitch. 2;;'thisr` movement leaves ,thefwipenon -thefdigit l) positionIn the case of switch:3,;however,'the; next; three 'V45 isnecessaryf to:Steprtheawiper automatically; over f these `rows .a-ridgontof thesecondezerosdigitaposi- `ftionso-as toIsetzupfthetime..1210orritherccllator `:switch i 6. IThs .'iS- acomplished i by .,ithe:`straw-"50 ping l I whereby; a; circuityis;completed-from bat- .terythrough the Operating;v magnet` 1,5,.:eonductor magnet: I 5 :causingz..the:.:.wipers .tofstepfriacrosSs-the f strapped fth level4contacts,androntcl theasecond ,zero digit row.

`The operation ,offswitchg ill their continues pas each minute impulse-1s reeeivedmntirthesecond *60 digit (9) is reached,V:,:ortime:1219,,:whereupon relay K2 is,againoperatediasqdeseribedesothat the Anext minute ,pulseadvanceslcothsr switches-i` 3 Y andV iA tosetilp the .-co de 1220;;on-collatorgswitch 6, switch ,3 automatically :stepping oven. 1,11,last-,#165 two idle rows onto the. top-onzerordigit,:position againWhen switchesfii-arld ZhaveadYanCed to *the 59th, minute, p0ston,1fe1ayf-K2- is, againoper- ,l ated from one of thedigit,(9)4positionsofswi1lch 3 and relay KI, yassociatedwith the hours,units'o jdigit switch l, ,is` Operated in 1 series .therewith"1fromthejrst digit v(5) position ofswtchZ. This circuit may be tracedfrom battery at thetop. sixth level stud V@l5 of` switch l, ,.wipen 46l(resting on the; first. Adigit t(2) .positiont aofwswitch I gat, time"1259) ,cleft Winding .of v relay KI conduction-i446,A=isixthrlevel.stud4ber switch 2 (digit '(5rposition). cwiper.'awinding; ofrelay `KZaconductor 13 stud Eitorf-switch' 3,1.wiper3 0,and ,thence by, conducftor133 tol the vbajckcontact and; armature 3 l:of n :relay-rE. a Upon `operation of relay -flii,-re1ayA -VK2 docks up.aseuheretcforedescribed` through arma- "ture40--of-re1ayEiand'relay KIclocks upx over:l a similar;4 circuit :including armature 48 .of 4 relayconductoraI M), right.-A winding ,of relays KI kits inner armature andlrstepping @magnet :5u of switch l.

Relay-LE"l also locks Jup? .by :parallelcircu-its; e'toegroundfithroughtthe interrupterf; contacts 16,-:` 43

andi I,,iof*-sWitclflesr 3,-: 2- and lf-respectively.

-onsequentlyf this operation of r relay E, wt in response-,tovaxgminutez:pulse,f;steps each; oi.Y fthe switches I 2 and` 3,Iherebyysettingzup the ,three digits (1) (0) rand. (O) ,1 respectively,oncollator fswitclni 6.

2' Brion tothasteppingj of: switch lzxfrorniitsf topfartiestrow:micontactsia circuit wasicompleted, for :the hoursgitensdigit-relay 8 andthegmeridianrelay I from battery through the left Winding Aof-r'e1ay1.8, ther {left-winding of relay 1," conductor rllfthrlevel stud@5250i switchl wiper f 53- and 'finterrupter:contacts 35| -to .groundRelay `8 theoperated condition applies ground to'confgductor;5411241.apply"the-digit (1) code to the 4th `j rowfofqcontactsfwof, `:the collatorA switch 6. Initstreleasedposi-tion-:,ablank .oryall spacing code is a; applied toi these:contactsrby the removal ofr the ground connection,` at the .armature ofVrelayit.| Relayi "when so operated applies ground to `conaductorj 55v;tofapply.the code meridian signal (A) -stozg the-contacts of the 10th--row v of switch 6 and ,.whenfreleased;applies ground to c0nductor56,otofapply `the@meridian-:signal (P) to Ythese contacts.

:Aseswitch lstjepsroi the 1st row ofstuds, the -operating 4circuit 'ofrelays;` 8: and 1 is interrupted .-at stud52. f,Relay-8;releasestorset-upa blank ,zfhour tens signaldigit on switch so` that the` timennowl appearing-ontthese contacts vis1l00 or one ,-oclocil Relay1,f-reenergizeahowever, from bat- -itery through :its rightfwinding andthefifth `level `studs;Fwviper.iirandfbreak,Contact 5|. :As the wiper*.ofi thisa switch: moves once -each Ahour over fgdigit positions 1-..through-9,.;that, is, @up through Etime,-,chaihges ,including-959, the;meridian f signal .-(a) -fvremains onrthe' contacts, of the lOthrow .-ofyswith 6.; Asswitch I'leaves, the;1stdigit(9) posi- ,tionjan'd contacts.thezero-digit position relaysp Land 'hara both-again-energized' from;stud 5,1,conductenfandtherleft windings of Vthese relaysrso.,thatithezhourltensfdigit (1)-again appears on ,the 'conta-Otani;4tlcefitliA row :of switch .6 tof thus; show .'ftheatimefas; lOOOhAM.,This conditioncontinues asthe hourvftens digit changes to (l)representing', 110D-AM. f-As-.the:next hour tens digit (2) isz reached@bythe ,wiperswofV switch` I, relay 1 ,v becomesideenergized iby,movement -of thexwiper 53: --,ofof strapped studs 'lehanging (AM) to(BM) one svrjtch'z;Y but relay;= 8, is; energized. .from.@studrBY-andthe rightrwindingnfrelay 8 toA mainf-,tain the l'hour tensdigit (1),- ;on 'the collator switch f,6,sathatrnooniappearsfas; 1200PM.

, 1Switches'3; Zeand I-continue `to step at minute,

ten minute and hourly intervals, respectively, vuuntil:theghours:.unitswitchf l reaches its next to last-row cfg-studs; at,@whichxtime .the hours .tens digit relay', 84 is,o.perated and' the.minute switches ifs-,tandat /SS-,replesentingzra time of,1159 BM atwhich ,time a@ circuitsis completed,` for control, re- .,--fly .ofswitch 5: fromy :hatteryzatfthe Vmanual reset date switch59 (Fig. 2)over contacts l6I, conductor G2, stud 63 of the sixth level, row I ofswitch 5, wiper 54, conductor 65, contact 66 of reset date switch 59,conductor 61, winding of relay K4 of switch 5, conductor 68, stud 69 ofthe sixth level and next to last row of switch l, wiper 46, relay Kl andthence by previously traced circuits in series through relays`K2 toground at armature 3l and back contact of relay E. Relay K4 prepares acircuit for the stepping magnet 'il of switch 5 through the rightwinding of relay K4 to armature l2 of relay E. Consequently, with relaysKl, K2 and Klenergized, the next operation of relay E steps each of theswitches 2, 3 and 5 to set up the new time and day. Switch I idles pastits last row of studs and rests again on its top row of contacts, thusoperating meridian relay l again from stud 52 so as to change themeridian code from (P) to (A) on the collator switch 6. The day of monthunits digit switch 4 thus being stepped on to the second row or digit(2) position, the new time and date set up on switch S will be (1200 AMJAN 2 47) This sequence of operation continues with switch 5 steppingonce each 24 hours until its wipers rest on the rst digit (9) position.This will occur at 1200 AM JAN V9. At this time a circuit is preparedfor relay K3 associated with the days tens digit switch 4 from the sixthlevel-stud 79, this circuit extending from battery through the leftwinding of relay K3, conductor 14, reset date switch contact l5,conductor 19, stud 13, wiper 64, conductor 65, reset date switchcontact66, conductor 51, left winding of relay K4, and conductor 68 to thesixth level stud 69 of switch i. The circuit is open at this stud sincethe wiper of switch I is at this time upon its uppermost row ofcontacts. When switches l, 2 and 3 and relay 1 have again cycled to time1159 PM, switch l will be on its next to last row with wiper 46 engagingstud 69. The previously traced circuit will then be completed from stud69 over wiper 46 and through relays Kl, K2, and K3 in series to the backcontact and armature 3l of relay E to ground, as heretofore explained.With relays Ki to K4 thus energized circuits are prepared to thestepping magnets of switches l to 5 from the front contacts of armatures3l, 49 48, 'i2 and 1l of relay E and upon the next operation of relay Eeach stepping magnet is energized, relay E locking up through parallelcircuits to ground through contacts of each relay Kl to K4 and theinterrupter switches of each of the stepping switches. As each steppingmagnet oper ates it interrupts one of the parallel paths of this lockingcircuit until, when all stepping magnets are energized, relay E releasesand each switch steps on the back stroke of the magnets. Switches l, 2and 3 and hour tens digit relay 8 are thus operated to set up the time1200. Meridian relay 1 operates to set up the rst character of themeridian signal AM. Switch 4 moves from its iirst or blank row to setthe days tens digit (l) on switch 6 and switch 5 steps from its digit(9) position to the zero digit position, setting up the day l0, thecomposite time and date message on switch 6 now being (1200 AM JAN 1047) Switch 4 steps in this manner each ten days until the end of eachmonth at which time a signal is operated, shown as a lamp 'I8 and a bell'I9 in Fig. 2. This occurs one minute after-1200 AM (midnight) of thelast day of each month irrespective of the number of days in the month.

For this purpose the manual month switch 9 is shown with twelve verticalrows of ten contacts each. Each row represents one month of the year.The rst eight contacts of each row, from the top, are strapped togetherin coded manner and wired to the studs of the 13th, 14th and 15th row ofstuds of switch 6, by cabled conductors 80, 3i and S2 in such manner asto set up the month abbreviations JAN, FEB, etc. on switch 6, dependingupon the position of the grounded wipers 83 of switch 9. The 9th and10th rows of contacts of the month switch 9 control the operation of thesignals 18 and 'I9 in accordance with the number of days in each month.For this purpose all of the contacts of the ninth row, except in the(FEB) position, are strapped together and connected lby conductor 84 toall fifth level studs 85 of switch 4 in the digit (3) position, andserve to prepare 'a circuit to the make Contact of relay N for allmonths having 30 or more days. The ninth row contact 86 in the (FEB)position of switch 9 is connected by conductor 87 through the strappingof a lea-p year block to the fth level studs in the digit (2) positionof switch 4 to prepare the above circuit to the contact of relay N forthe month of February. The ninth row wiper 89 ofswitch 9 is connectedthrough the make contact and armature 99 of a relay N to the signals I8and 'F9 and thence to battery.

The 10th row of contacts of switch 9 are strapped in three groupsrepresenting 28, 30 and 3l day months. The 28 day or February contact 9|is connected by conductor 92 through the strapping of the leap yearblock, arranged as shown for a 2,8 day month, and thence by conductor 93to the iifth level contacts in the digit (9) positions of switch 5.

The 30 day or APR, JUN, SEPAND NOV contacts 94 of the 10th row of switch9 are connected together and by conductor 95 to the fth level studs ofswitch' 5 in each digit (1) position.

The 31 day or remaining contacts 96 of the 10th row of switch 9 areconnected together and by conductor 9'1 to the fifth level studs ofswitch 5 in each digit (2) position.

In the case of the 3l day month January, the signals 18, 79 will beoperated as switches 4 and 5 step from day 3l to day 32 or at midnightof January 31. These switches move at this time to a digit (3) positionfor switch 4 and a digit (2) position for switch 5. With switches 4 and5 so positioned, a circuit for relay N may be traced from batterythrough the relay winding, tenth row wiper 98 of month switch 9, Januarystud 96, conductor 91, iiith level studs of day units digit switch 5 inthe digit (2) position, wiper 99, and interrupter contacts I9! of switch5 to ground. Relay N operates and. completes a circuit for the signalsl5, 19 from battery in parallel through the two signal devices, thenceby wiper 89 of switch 9, January stud and conductor 84 to the fifthlevel studs of the day tens digit switch 4 in the digit (3) position,wiper 02 and interrupter switch |03 to ground. The operator in responseto the signal manually moves the switch 9 to the February position.

Similar circuits may be traced from the February position of switch 9through the hours tens and units digit switches 4 and 5 in their digit2) and digit (9) positions, respectively, and from the 30 day monthpositions with switches 4 and 5 in their digit (3) and digit (l)positions, respectively.

The leap year block 88 is provided so that it may be manually strapped,as indicated in dotted eff lines," to operate l the 'signals 18,"19 Vin'the (FEB) v position `of month switch 9 and switches 4 and'5` in'theirdigit (3) and vzero digitv positions, respec-` tively, that is atmidnight FEB 29.

At the beginningof each month it is also necessary to manually restorethe 'switches 4 Vand 5 to their blank and digit (1) positions,respectively, to represent the first day ofthe 4new month. The datereset switch 59 upon' being thrown momentarily Lto the right bytheattendant, in response to the "operation of signals 18 and 19, effectsthis result. In its righthand position switch 59 at its lower contactapplies ground to the signals 18, 19 "to continue their operation, thusto remind the attendant that switchY 59-'shou1d not be left in thatposition. A'stepping .circuit is also completedfvfo'rswitch 4to advance'its wipers to the) next digit (l) position,ithis circuit being:completedffr'om battery through stepping magnet |04 of switch 4,conductor |05," switch arm 196 ofreset date' switch 59,*its right handcontact,

conductor |01, sixth level studs in digit positions (1), (2) or (3),Wiper |08 v'and interrupter contacts |03 yto ground. Switch 4 therebysteps untillits wipers engage the next blank position;

Switch 5 is-restored toa-digit (1) position by a similar` circuitvfrom-battery through its step-.-

ping magnet 1|, conductor I I I, right contactand switchrarm ||2, thenceby conductor V| I3 to the sixth level studs of switch 5 in the digit (2)to dig-it (8)A and zero positions andby wiper 54 and conductor 65 toswitch armf66 anditsright conswitch 5 in the'digit (9) position thereofto wiper 54. Advancement over the blank rows of studs of switch 5 isaccomplishedfrom battery throughl the stepping magnet `1|, conductor IIIto the-y iif'th level studs in the blank` row-`positionfof switch 5, towiper 99 andin'terrupter contact |0| to ground. Thus switch 5automatically 'steps from all'positions excepting the digt- (l) position; upon which it comes to rest. The resetk date'I switch is thenthrown back to the left, interrupting 'the signal circuit vandrestoring-A the 'normal control circuits' of switches 4 and 5.

At the end of each year, in response to`v the signals18, 19, it isnecessary not only to shift the month switch 9 to its'(JAN) position andto op`- crate the yresetdate switch 59,'as just described,v

but in addition to change the strappingon `the year block I to set upthe next year code com'- bination` thereon. This block is connected bycabled conductors VV| I', ||6 to the 21stA and 22nd positions ofcollator switch 6 to set the year tens`v and vunitsV digits codesthereon.

With the time and date correctly setY upon collatorswitch 6 atall times,it may be transmitted over an outgoingcircuit as a timeV and datemessage whenever" desired. As stated, this ispreferably Yaccomplishedautomatically at the -end'of each message', being transmitted from ata-pe transmitter, under the control of an 'end-of-mese' sage Lsignal,which conveniently may consist of two successive periods;

Referringfnowto Figf'?, there is shown a rel#v ceiving yperforator ||1upon which signals fronrv any desired source may be-received andrecorded` in perforated tape-form, to actuate a tape trans- 10 mitter II8, such'as that shown in the patent to Benjamin No. 1,298,440, andcomprising a series of ve contact arms |I9 adapted to be operatedbetween marking and spacing contacts M and S and a stepping magnet SM.In the embodiment shownbattery is applied to the spacing bus bar.I The`contact arms are connected through the windings `of five transmittingand reading relays TRI to TRE to ground. Relays TR| to TR5 have twosets-.of armatures, the inner set beingcoded tocomplete'a baiiie circuitfrom ground at the make contact of'relay TRI to aconductor |2| forreading the period (4th pulse marking) code combination, as will laterbe explained, and the outer set of contacts is arranged to apply batterythrough back contacts, in response to marking signals,'to thetransmitting segments of a startstop distributor |22 having transmittingrings |23,local rings |24 and associated brushes BI and B2. The brushesBI and B2 are held at rest on the rest segment R in the deenergizedcondition of start magnet |25. The local segment of ring |24 appliesground to the stepping magnet SlVLof the tape transmitter as the brushBl engages the rest segment R.

The solid ring'of pair |23 is connected to the transmitting'cordcircuit, traced over conductor |25; resistance |21 (liig- 6),make-before-break contact-|28 "of'relay B and conductor |29 to thetip-ofthe' plug .|3|, the sleeve contactof which is grounded. Plug |3|has an auxiliary contact |32 adapted, when the plug is inserted into aline jack, to bey grounded.l Contact |32 controls the operation of lalrelay |33 so that when a line is 1 selected for transmission-byinsertion of the jack |3|, relay` |33 operates to complete a circuitfrom battery, through its right armature and back contactandrightarmature of a relay |34 to the start magnet |25 'of `distributor|22. The code set up at that time on the contacts of the transmitter isthus transmitted over the line L-followed by thev remainder of themessage until the double period end-of-message signal is reached.

For the purpose of reading this double period end-of-message signal, agroup of four relays |35, |33, |31 and |38 is provided. The rst of theseperiod signals energizes relays TR1, TR2,

TRSand 'TR5, relay TR4 being deenergized since this codel has only thefourth pulse marking. Thereupon `a circuit is closed from batterythrough the winding of relay |35, the armature and back contact of relay|35, the inner armature and back contact of transmitting relay TR4 andthe -armature and front contacts of relays 'I'R5,TR3,V TR2 and TRI inseries to ground, whereupon! relay |35 becomes energized. The periodcode lcombination is the only code that will so operate relay |35, thetraced circuit being open -for 'all `other codes. Relay |35 prepares avlocking circuit, including its armature and front-contact and thewinding of relay |36, that is independent of the contacts of relay |36and TR4.` However, upon the receipt oir the next stepping pulse fromring'I24, the tongues of the "tape transmitter are drawn to the spacingposition', preparatory to setting up the next code combination and relayTR4 lbecomes energized, thus removing a short circuit over conductor |2|around ithe winding of relay |36 so that this relay operates inserieswith relay |35 through the' contacts of relays TRI, TR2, TRS and TRS,whichremain operated.

At the end of the stepping :pulse the second period code in the tape'isset up on the relays TRI *to-TR5 causing relay TR4 to again deenergizewhereupon a circuit is closed from battery through the winding of relay|31, inner armature and back contact of relay |38, armature and frontcontact of relay |38, and the reading circuit |2| to ground, whereuponrelay |31 becomes energized. The energization of relay |31 prepares acircuit through the winding of relay |38 through its inner armature andfront contact but relay |38 is short-circuited by the make contacts ofrelay |38, |36 and the spacing contact of relay TRii and does` notoperate until this short circuit is removed. This occurs at the end ofthe transmission of the second period over line L when the next steppingpulse is applied to the magnet SM to withdraw the tape feelers from thetape, whereupon the tape contacts move to spacing and relay 'I'Rlibecomes energized.

Relay I3?, it will be recalled, operated when the second period was setup on relays TRI to TRS, that is, as brush B2 moved oir the localstepping pulse segment. Through its outer contact relay |37 energizedrelay |313 which thereupon at its right armature interrupted the circuitto the start magnet |25 of the transmitting distributor. Brushes BI andB2 complete their revolution, however, to transmit the second period andto supply another stepping pulse to the tape stepping magnet, this beingthe pulse which causes operation of relay |33. Brushes Bl and B2 arethen brought to rest.

Relay |38 applies ground to operate a time and date message call relay|39, which locks up through its right or locking winding and the backContact of a relay lill. This occurs during the last stepping pulse tomagnet SM while it is holding the switch arms H9 of the tape transmitteron their spacing contacts. At the end of this pulse a new character codewill be set up on relays TRI to TR5 other thank the period code or ablank, thus interrupting the circuits for relays |35 to |38. Relay |34holds operated, however, through its left or locking winding and theleft make contact of relay |33 until the plug |3| is pulled from itsjack.

The time and date message call relay |39 initiates a call ,to the timeand date transmitting apparatus by applying ground to a relay A (Fig. 6)which together with relays B and C and a transmitting vacuum tube IAEare individual to the tape transmitter H8.

Relay A has associated with it an on home" multiple M3 connected to theinner make contact of the A relays of all transmitters having access tothe time and date transmitter. Relays B are similarly associated with astart time multiple |45 connected to the make contact |55 of all Brelays. Relays C have their right or operating windings connected to aTime Sent multiple |135, and the grids of vacuum tubes M2 are connectedto a Time and Date Transmitting multiple ld?.

Relay A upon operating, as described, operates relay B over a circuitfrom battery through the right or operating winding of relay B, i r iner armature and back contact of relay C, inner armature and makecontact of relay A to multiple M3, thence through the fourth from topcontact of disconnect switch |48, conductors |49 and 23, armature 2A andmake contact of relay H and armature 25 and back contact of relay J toground. It will be recalled that relay H was operated only on the idlecondition of the time and date transmitter, the circuits for which willbe traced subsequently, and relay B, therefore,

operates only under this condition. Should the collator switch 6 be offits home position at the time relay A is operated, the operation ofrelay B awaits its return to such position. Once operated, relay B locksup from battery at the middle armature of relay C, its back contact,inner armature and make contact of relay B and its left or lockingwinding to ground. Relay B at its make-before-break contacts |28connects the vacuum tube M2 in series with the cord circuit IZS, |29 andremoves the resistance |21. At its make contact it connects ground tothe Time Start multiple |441 and at its armature |5| and make contact itconnects battery to the right or operating winding of relay C, andthence to multiple |46, this circuit being open at this time, however,at the armature 25 and make contact of normally released relay J.

The grounding of multiple |44 causes operation of normally releasedrelay F (Fig. 5) from the time and date transmitting distributor TM.This distributor is constantly rotating and upon passage of its localbrush LB over local segment Y a circuit is completed for relay F frombattery at the local solid ring, brush LB, segment Y, conductor |52,inner armature and back Contact of normally released relay J, innerarmature and front contact of normally operated relay G, and rightwinding of relay F to the grounded multiple |44.

Relay F upon operating locks up at its inner armature through armatures211 and 25 of relays H and J and interrupts at the same armature alocking circuit for relay G traced from battery through inner armatureand back contact of relay F to the right or locking winding of relay G.This relay is suiciently slow to release, however, so that it holdsuntil brush LB passes from the local segment Y. At its outer armaturerelay F prepares a circuit for the stepping magnet |53 of switch 6 whichcircuit is completed when the local brush LB engages the next X segmentof the local ring. This circuit extends from battery at the local solidring, brush LB, segment X, conductor |54, sixth level wiper |55 ofswitch 6, top row sixth level contact |56, conductor |51, outer armatureand make contact of relayF, and thence by conductor |53 to the windingof stepping magnet |53 to ground. At the end of the X segment pulseswitch 6 steps on to its second row of contacts to set up the figuresshift code on the segments of the transmitting ring |59 of thedistributor TM.

As brush LB passes from the X to the Y segment, relay H is knocked downby application of positive battery from segment Y, through the innerarmature and break contact of relay J, inner armature and break contactof relay G and armature |6| and make contact of relay H to the left orlocking winding of this relay, in opposition to the locking ngativebattery connected to armature itl. rlhe release or" relay H prevents, atopen contacts 24, any operation of time'setting relay E' in response toa minute pulse until after the completion of the time and datetransmission. It also prevents operation of any additional B relays byremoving ground at contacts 2li from the On Home multiple |63. Relay H,also on release, removes a ground at its inner make contact from theTime and Date Transmission multiple |651, thus enabling the control gridof tube |132 to be responsive to signals from the transmitter TM, overconductors |62, |63 and Time and Date multiple Ml.

The distributor shown transmits two characters per revolution; Theirstcharactertobe trans--l conductors |62, |63 vto the grid of allvacuum.,

tubes associatedwith multiple |41. This character will be transmittedover the cord circuit toline. L and over any other cord circuits the Brelay of .which is operated. The `transmitting circuit extends frombattery at the restA segmentz of the transmitter |22 (Fig. 7) Aoverconductor V over a single selected :circuit or over a plurality |29,"contacts IZB-'of relay B, vacuum tube |42'- and condutcor |26 to thejack |3| and thence toline..

The stepping magnet |53 of switch Bis oper-` ated by each X segment ofthelocal ring-:of theA time and date distributor TM to set up thesuccessive characters onring |59. When the `wipers of switch 6 move onto the last row of contacts to set up the equals sign code on thedistributor, a circuit is prepared from the X segment of the local ringover conductor |54, wiper- |55 of switch 6; sixth level contact |63,conductor |64, left winding of relay J and conductor |58 to steppingmagent |53. Thus, during the transmision of -this finalcharacter, relayJ operates over segment X and at the end of the character, as brush'BZleaves the X segment, switch 6 steps on to its home position and relay Jlocks `over segment Y through its inner armature and make contact, itsright winding and the right winding of relay H to ground. Relay H locksthrough its armature |6| and make contact and at the end of the Ysegment pulse relay J releases.

With switch 6 in its home position the next X segment pulse is directedthrough wiper |55, sixth level contact |56, conductor |51, and outerarmature and back contact of relay F to the left winding of relay G.Relay G locks through its right winding and middle armature and theinner armature and back contact of relay F. Thus at the end of thetransmission relays H and G are operated and F and J released, which istheir normal condition when the time and date transmitter is idle. Thetime and date transmitter may now be seized by other cord circuits.

At the time relay B operated to seize the time and date transmitter, itwill be recalled that a circuit was prepared for relay C from batterythrough armature |5| and make contact of relay B, and right winding ofrelay C' to multiple |46. During the time the brush LB was last on its Ysegment with both relay J and H operated, this circuit was momentarilycompleted from multiple |46, armature |64 and make contact of relay Hand .armature and make contact of relay J to ground. Relay C was thusoperated and locked from battery on its middle armature and makecontact, its left winding and the outer armature and make contact ofrelay A. Relay C at its inner armature opens the operating circuit forrelay B to the multiple |43 and at its middle armature it opens thelocking circuit for relay B. Relay B then releases. At its outerarmature relay C applies ground to conductor |65 to operate relay |4|(Fig. 7) thus unlocking relay |39 and removing ground from relay Athrough the middle armature of relay |39. Relay A thus releasesunlocking relay C' and relays A, B and C are restored to normal with thevacuum tube |42 removed from the cord circuit.

Relay |39 on releasing completes a circuit from battery to its lowerarmature for a signal |66, the circuit being completed through the lowerarmature and make contact of relay |61, this latter relay havingpreviously been operated.

from` relay I39fand locked throughithe lower: The attendant in .re.r

energizing relay |33.and unlocking relays |34" The cord circuit. is nowrestored to` normal andmay vbe switched to any desired 4line.

tov transmit the .next message.

It should be noted that the time and date transmitter will send time andvdate signals .either of suclrcircuits` simultaneously depending upon,the instant of operation of relay Aassociated: with the transmitter,such as II1, connectedto:

an outgoing circuiti Should several calls for timeand date stampitransmission beinitiated simultaneously so as.`

to operate a correspondingnumber of A relays at the'same-instant,r in anidle condition of the' time and date transmitter, all calls willbe corn`pleted simultaneously and time and date signals. will be sent over the.circuits associated withlthe calling transmitter, as I1, in the same`cycle'.- of operation of Athe time and date transmitter.` Further, anycalls received during a cycle of operation of the time and datetransmitterwill cause operationof the corresponding A relays, but asstated the associatedB relays will notoperate i to complete the callsuntil the end of the transmitting cycle at `whichtimeallaccumulated'calls will be completed to connect all of the callingcircuits to the time and date signal transmitter for its next cycle ofoperation. Thus the only delay between the initiating of a call for timeand date signals and the start of the transmission of such signals overthe desired circuit, is that required for the time and date transmitterto complete its current cycle of operation, i. e., up to about fiveseconds.

It will be obvious that many modifications of the time and date storageand transmitting mechanism may be made and various forms of calling andcontrol circuits provided` without departing from the essentialattributes of the invention, and all such obvious modifications andvariations are contemplated as being within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telegraph system, a time signal transmitter comprising atransmitting distributor, setting up means operable through apredetermined cycle of applying a plurality of groups of permutationcode signals to said distributor in sequential orden, said signals beingrepresentative of time in hours and minutes, code changing means forperiodically modifying the code arrangement of said hour and minutesignals in response to periodic minute time signal impulses, means forinitiating said setting up means into said cycle of operation totransmit said coded signals by means of said distributor, means to storea minute time signal impulse occurring during said cycle of operationand means for actuating said code changing means in response to saidimpulse at the completion of said cycle of operation.

2. In a telegraph system, a time signal transmitter comprising atransmitting distributor, setting up means operable through apredetermined cycle for applying a plurality of groups of permutationcode signals to said distributor in sequential order, said signals beingrepresentative of time in days, hours and minutes, code changing meansfor periodically modifying the code arrangement of said day, hour andchanging means upon modification of the coded arrangement of saidsignals to represent a predetermined day.

3. In a telegraph system, a time signal transmitter comprising atransmitting distributor, setting up means operable through apredetermined cycle for applying a plurality of groups of n permutationcode signals to said distributor in sequential order, said signals beingrepresentative of time in months, days, hours and minutes, code changingmeans for periodically modifying the code arrangement of said day, hourand minute signals in response to periodic minute time signal impulses,other code changing means for modifying the code arrangement of saidmonth signals, means for initiating said setting up means into saidcycle of operation to transmit said coded signals by means of saiddistributor and signal means operable under joint control of both ofsaid code changing means upon modication of the code arrangement of saidsignals to represent a predetermined day and month.

4. In a telegraph system, a time signal trans- 16 mitter comprising atransmitting distributor, setting up means operable through apredetermined cycle ior applying a plurality of groups of permutationcode signals to said distributor in sequential order, said signals beingrepresentative of time in days, hours and minutes, code changing meansfor periodically modifying the code arrangement of said day, hour andminute signals in response to periodic minute time signal impulses,means independent of said minute signal impulses for modifying the codearrangement of said day signals, and means for initiating said settingup means into said cycle of operation to transmit said coded signals bymeans of said distributor.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,673,369 Mills June 12, 1928 2,200,807 Potts May '14, 19402,289,746 Bacon July 14, 1942 2,345,173 Light Apr. 11, 1944 2,357,297Wack et al Sept. 5, 1944 2,389,694 Spencer Nov. 27', 1945 2,467,566Potts Apr. 19, 1949 2,502,654 Keyes Apr. 4, 1950

